paulbromley9

I have PHD2 set up and have now successfully installed plate solve and EQMod with APT. I have set up PHD2 as a server within APT and APT appears to see it. If I understand correctly PHD2 now communicates with APT and APT communicates with the mount, hence no direct connection from Guide camera to mount port ? My question is when starting APT the connect window asks for the camera connection and below it a connection asking for the ascom driver for the mount. Do I need to connect the mount via this button or is that a secondary connection not required as APT and EQmod are connected. Hope this makes sense thanks. Paul.

Hi all, probably a stupid question but one my brain refuses to compute. After struggling with the Synscan handset and star id on screen, I have followed advice and installed APT plate solve and EQMOD. After a bit of fiddling around all appears to work and looks much easier for me to understand . However my brain refuses to confirm which way the mount should be slewing when using the Eqmod N S E W buttons. My apologies if this should be obvious, to me it isn't LOL. Could someone tell me, if I am facing the North with the mount in park i.e. ( as if polar aligned )the weight bar facing directly away from me, which way the mount should slew ? Thanks Paul.

Well I took your advice and have fitted a ZWO EAF focuser which seems very smooth and precise. However I would welcome some help in deciding what I do and don't need to do in APT. I'll try and explain. The instructions for the focuser tell you when using the bracket as I am to define the end points, zero being fully retracted and the maximum presumably at the other end of the possible extension. I am familiar with stepper motors using cnc. I have entered the zero position without problem but in APT can't understand where you define the other end. I have a screenshot if someone could point me in the right direction. Thanks for bearing with a newbie and help very much appreciated.

Hi All, First night out last night, I anticipated a huge number of idiots issues, but not to come to a halt where I did, I would appreciate being led by the nose as I can't get to grips with APT live view. If I can explain, I managed to get the gear polar aligned without issue mainly thanks to ioptron. My telescope is a WO Zenithstar 73 with flat and my camera is asi 533mc on heq5 pro. On opening live view I was confronted with the tiniest pinpricks of stars, almost invisible in size and few where there should have been more. I started with the "video" live view settings on auto and tried to use the zoom keys to get some increase in size, they appeared to have no effect. I then unticked the video live view and increased the bin to 4 x 4 and the loop exposure to 6 seconds which I had watched on you tube instructions , again that had no effect. I opened the histogram aid and noted three distinct peaks to the extreme left, stretch right had no effect and stretch left produced a bright grid pattern and nothing else. If it seems from the above I have no clue what I am doing, you would be correct, and I apologise but none of this live view seems obvious. The upshot was by the time I had read, played with stuff and got nowhere, I was frozen solid and the fog had rolled in, pretty much as I anticipated a lone beginners first night to be. Could anybody lead me by the nose please and give me a clue to how to use live view to be able to focus, I thought I understood that bit but couldn't get that far LOL! I have watched a huge number of you tube videos and read the apt instructions but clearly am missing something or not understanding. If anyone can help I would be grateful and is there a way I could practice this in daylight before everything gets more difficult in the dark. If my explanations and questions make no sense I would not be surprised and apologise in advance. Perhaps the steepest learning curve of anything I have ever done ! Best wishes. Paul.

More or less exactly the question I wanted to post ..... will watch with interest. Paul.

Thanks Terry, please bear with me, so if I understand the flat remains set at 11.4 ? then as the diagram ? sorry to appear thick LOL ! Paul.

As a newbie, in my previous post somehow my modded Canon 60d has died before I even got to shoot a frame. Rather than mod another DSLR camera I have bought an asi533mc. Could someone please help me decide how I connect the camera to my telescope ... I have a Zenithstar 73 with flat 73A, now arriving I have the camera and a ZWO 2inch filter drawer. I would appreciate some guidance as to what I need to fit in terms of the included spacers etc? A totally absorbing hobby and I haven't shot a frame yet LOL. Stay well all and thanks. Paul.

No its not a stupid question LOL and I don't bite but yes, I have a lot of canon batteries but it was being run off an 8v supply too, so it's not that, I've also checked the two microswitches behind the access doors, there is no life at all ! I started off trying to dip my toe in the water at astro but as someone said above it is clearly a very slippery slope ! Thanks all for interest.

After months of waiting to even see a clear sky, and despite the bright moon, tonight was the night I was going to finally get a chance to use my gear in anger ! that was until sod stepped in. I should explain I am a newbie to astro but have been a wildlife photographer for many years. I started off intending to use my 500 F4 on my HEQ5 but have ended up with a zenithstar 73 +flat with orion guidescope and an astromodded Canon 60d. After a lot of head scratching I had all working with the software. This lunchtime I set up the camera and all was working fine, to cut to the chase when I switched on a short while ago the camera is dead and clearly something has gone awry internally. Perhaps a lesson to be learned here about buying the camera used and after sending it away for the mod, this was the first time it was going to be used. Anyway to the point of this tale of woe ...... I am going to clearly have to open the purse strings again and wonder , despite being a beginner to this, whether to go CCD. I would be grateful for advice on whether I should do this, and if anyone thinks its a half decent idea, given I am going to spend some cash anyway, what should I look at. Any help appreciated . Keep well all. Paul. On a rock in the Irish Sea.

Thank you I bought a Chinese copy and it won't work, I've just ripped it apart and saw there was some circuitry inside which I hadn't taken into account so wondered if my DC power set at 7.8v was insufficient. However I have now purchased the genuine one. Thanks for the help appreciated . Paul.

Hi can anyone tell me what input voltage this adapter is looking for ? I have been unable to find an answer regarding the output of the relevant AC unit, but I have a variable dc output on my portable power unit. I have bought the Canon DR E6 dummy battery to clarify I have a variable dc output and the camera runs off 7.8v battery normally, I am unable to find out if the coupler has voltage reduction circuitry if you follow. Any help appreciated ? Thanks stay well all. Paul.

Thanks very much mounting a 500mm F4 lens to it via an arca swiss 300mm bar which can support the lens with a telescope ring at the front as well as its foot. The 4 hole thing looks perfect for the job. Many thanks. Paul.

Hi, I have not yet received my ordered HEQ5 Pro mount so wondered if someone could tell me , what type of dovetail does it have ?, as I need to purchase some sort of adapter to get from whatever it has to Arca Swiss ? Hope that makes sense. Thanks stay well all. Paul.

Hi a question about mirror up and a Canon 60d with intervalometer. I want to use (if I can) the mirror up function and an intervalometer to repeat the exposures. I have enabled the self timer and the mirror up function in the camera but am not sure if this will work. Has anyone done this and am I missing something ? Thanks all. Merry Christmas.